Governor for steam-engines



(No Model.)

E. S. BOWEN. GOVERNOR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

No. 447,039. Patented Feb. 24, 1891.

Z'EZIHHHHHH H m vemtoz UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

ERNEST SPENCER BOWEN, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

GOVERNOR FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,039, dated February 24, 1891.

Application filed June 14:, 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

B -e 1t known that I, ERNEST SPENCER BOWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Governors for Steam-Engines; and Iv do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

claims.

Referring to the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved valve-gear applied to the driving-wheel of the engine-shaft. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with the shaft broken away and the. wheel removed. Fig. 3 is a view of a slightly-modified construction. Fig. 4 is a view showing a modified construction for adjusting the springs. Fig. 5 is a detail of part of the mechanism.

My invention relates particularly to the type of governors in which the eccentric is caused to shift its position and change its degree of eccentricity, thereby shortening or lengthening the stroke of the valve-rod and admitting less or more steam to the piston, thus correcting the variations in the speedof the engine which would otherwise be caused by the change of load, pressure, or other causes.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic governor of very simple construction andan improved means for adjusting the resistance-springs of the same, so as to secure the desired speed of the engine-shaft.

In the said drawings, A represents the driving-wheel mounted on the engine-shaft B.

r The sliding eccentric hub G is secured to a frame D, and said hub is provided with a slot 0, which engages the en gine-shaf t B. The frame D may be cast integrally with the hub O or suitably secured thereto, and is provided with two arms (1 (1, extending outwardly on Serial No. 365,448. (No model.)

each side of the shaft B. The outer extremities of these arms are connected to the Wheel A by means of the spring E, by means of which the eccentric hub is caused to revolve with the Wheel and actuate the eccentric-strap F, which is connected to the slide-valve of the steam-chest in the usual manner. These springs E are rigidly secured to the ends of arms (Z in any desired manner, and they are also secured to the wheel A at or adjacent to the periphery of the same, preferably by means of an improved clip G, which enables me to secure any desired adjustment of the springs to vary the tension thereof. This clip G is best seen in Fig. 5, and consists of a block having one side corresponding to an arc of a circle considerably smaller than the wheel A. tral recess or slot g,which receives the end of the spring. The block G is secured, preferably, to any inner face of the rim of the wheel A by means of two bolts g g, which may be tapped into the wheel or extend from the outside of the same through the riin and block G and be provided with nuts, as found most convenient or desirable. The curved face of the block G conforming to thecircumference of a smaller circle than the rim of the wheel A, the said block will touch said rim at one point'only, and by adjusting the said block by means of the bolts g g the said block can be made to assume different positions as the This block is provided with a cenone end or the other is brought nearer to the rim of the wheel. In order to facilitate this action, I prefer to employ a rocker H, which consists of a bolt or rod engaging a notch in the rim of the Wheel A or the block G, 01' both, by means of which the adj ustment can be more readily accomplished, he block G turning upon the rocker H as on a pivot.

The springs E are placed in engagement with the recesses g of the respective adjust ing-blocks G and are securely attached to the arms (Z d of the frame D, as before stated. In order to secure the springs E rigidly in the recesses g, I prefer to employ one or more wedges e, of spring material, which are driven into said recesses by the side of said springs and force the latter rigidly against the wall of said recesses. These wedges are'preferably made of spring material, so as not to inter ferc with the action of said springs, and they may be made of suificient length to serve to re-en force said springs, as shown in the drawings.

The springs E could be secured in the blocks G by means of suitable clamps, if desired; but this is my preferred construction, as it is very simple. The wedges 6 can be made of sufficient length to re-enforce the springs E, if desired.

The springs E secure the frame I) and eccentric hub C to rotate with the wheel A and hold said hub with one end of its slotc against the shaft 13, so as to give the hub its greatest amount of'eccentricity and cause the slidevalve'rod and valve to move the full extent of its stroke.

To the frame D-is secured a Weighted arm K, carrying the Weight L, secured thereto in any desired manner and extending radially from the center of the wheel. This weighted arm may form a continuation of one of the arms (Z, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may extend separately from the frame, as shown in Fig.

2 but the arrangement must be such that the longest diameter of slot 0 and the said weighted armshallextend substantially perpendicularly to the springs E or in substantially the line of tension of said springs;

In Fig. 1 the arms (I extend from th'eframe D at right angles to the springs E; but this is not essential, as they may extend at an angle, as shown in Fig. 3, in which case the springs E will be longer or shorter, according to the angle which the arms make with the said springs.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the drawings, in connection with the foregoing description. Then the Wheel A is revolved, it moves slowly at first, and the eccentricgives the valve the full stroke, throwing the parts open to theirfullest extent. As

the wheel attains a considerable velocity, the

weight L, attached to the eccentric-carrying frame, will be moved toward the periphery of the wheel'A by centrifugal force, and thereby move the said frame and the eccentric hub in the direction indicated by the arrow against the tension of the springs; The movement of the eccentric hub is permitted by the slot 0, before described, and the eccentricity of the hub is thus diminished, shortening the travel of the valve and decreasing the amount which the ports are opened. It will thus be seen that by this construction any variations of pressnre,load, or from other causes will be compensated for and equalized, for if there is a decrease of pressure there will be a tendenc'y of the Wheel to slow up; but the weight will instantly respond and be drawn in by the springs toward the center, and thereby increase the eccentricity of the hub C and the travel of the valve and admit more steam to the cylinder of the engine. In case the pressure is increased or the load removed, so that the wheel has a tendency to revolve more rapidly, the weight flies out nearer the periphery of the wheel and decreases the eccentricity of the hub 0 and the travel of the valve. This construction forms an exceedingly sensitive automatic governor, which will respond in stantly to the slightest variations. however caused,therebyproducing a smooth and uniform speed of the engine-shaft.

In order to vary the mean or uniform speed at which'it is desired to run the engine-shaft, it is only necessary to vary the tension of the resistance-springs, as will be readily understood. If it is desired to run at a higher speed, the resistance should be increased, and vice versa. This adjustment is accomplished by means of the rocking adjusting-blocks hereinbefore described and the bolts which secure them to the rim of the wheel. The Walls of the recesses engaged by the spring being straight, it willbe seen that moving the said blocks on their rockers in one direction or the other will adjust the tension of the springs, and this can be easily and quickly effected.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slightly-modified construction for adjusting the tension of the springs E. In this instance I employ longer springs having portions extending at right angles to the part which engages the frame D. These springs are supported at their central points in suitable sockets G, attached to the rim of the wheel, and may be secured therein in any suitableway, as by pins. (Shown in dotted lines.) The outer ends of said springs are then secured to the rim of the wheel by means of a bolt h and nut, and the springs E are adj usted by this means, as will be readily understood.

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic governor for steam-engin es, the'combination, with the driving-shaft and the wheel mounted thereon, of a movable eccentric for actuating a slide-valve, the weight connected thereto, and springs forming the sole connection between said eccentric and wheel, said eccentric being adapted to move bodily in a direction in line with the tension of said springs, substantially as described.

- 2. In an automatic governor for steam-engines, the combination, with the driving-shaft and the wheel mounted thereon and adapted to turn therewith, of a movable eccentric for actuating a slide-valve, having a slot engaging said shaft, a weight secured to said eccentric, and springs forming the sole connection between said eccentric and the wheel, said slot-beingarranged in line with the tension of said springs, substantially as described.

In an automatic governor for steam-em gines, the combination, with the driving-shaft and wheel, of a movable eccentric provided with a slot engaging said shaft, a weighted arm secured to said eccentric, and springs forming the sole connection between the cocentric and wheel and extending at right an gles to said weighted arm, said slot extending in line with said weighted arm, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic governor t'or steam-engines,thccombination,with thedriving-wheel, the movable eccentric hub for actuating the slide-valve, provided with a weight, springs connected rigidly with said hub, the adjustable blocks rigidly engaging said springs, and means for securing said blocks adj ustably to said wheel, substantially as described.

5. In an automatic governor for steam-engi nes, the combination, with the drivi ng-wheel,

slide-val ve, provided with a Weight, the springs rigidly connected to the said hub, the adjustable blocks having recesses to receive said springs, and the spring-wedges for securing said springs in said recesses and reent'orcing said springs, substantially as described.

7. In an automatic governor for steam-en- .gines,tl1e combination, with thedriving-Wheel,

ot' the movable eccentric for actuating the slide-valve, the weight attached thereto, the springs rigidly connected to said eccentric, the adjustable blocks for engaging said springs, means for securing said blocks adj ustably to the rim of the wheel, and the rocker interposed between the block and wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

ERNEST SPENCER BOWEN.

\Vitnesses:

I W. A. NYE,

E. II. HERRLING. 

